Chapter 30

"Almost," Mina replied.&nbsp "Cyllene said she'd meet us right in this
next clearing."

"Please, please let Cyllene be all right," Serena prayed.

But as they stepped into the clearing they saw Cyllene lying motionless
on the ground.&nbsp Amy rushed over to feel for a pulse.

"She's still alive... barely," she reported.&nbsp "But it's not safe
to move her in this condition."&nbsp Amy tore a strip off her skirt
and tried to stop the bleeding.&nbsp "I'll stay here and do what I can
for her.&nbsp You've got to hurry and get help.&nbsp She won't last
long without stitching up and a transfusion."

Sailor Earth looked around frantically.&nbsp "The Time Key!&nbsp The
pieces Cyllene said she'd found are missing!&nbsp Now the Negaverse
has them."

"We can't worry about that now, Celeste!" Rini cried.&nbsp "Cyllene is
lying there dying, and if we don't do something, she'll end up just
like Athena!"

"The Time Key is the only important thing," Celeste retorted.

"Everyone, stop arguing!" Amy shouted.&nbsp "We will recover the rest
of the Time Key, but right now a girl's life is at stake.&nbsp
That's the most important thing right now.&nbsp Mina, take Serena and
Celeste and find help for Cyllene.&nbsp And hurry.&nbsp In her
condition I'd guess she's got an hour or two at best without proper
medical attention.&nbsp
I've stopped the bleeding, but I'm no doctor, there's not much more I
can do.&nbsp Rini, stay with me and help care for Cyllene.&nbsp
We've got to keep her alive until the others get back with help.&nbsp
If we get Cyllene stitched up in time..." she looked directly at Celeste,
"then we can go after the Time Key.&nbsp Until then, Cyllene is
our top priority.&nbsp Is that clear?"

Sailor Earth nodded silently and left with Serena and Venus.&nbsp Amy
watched them go, and then returned her attentions to her patient.

Rini stood staring at the badly-wounded Cyllene, on the verge of
tears.&nbsp She'd never seen anyone so near death before.

"Amy?&nbsp Is Cyllene going to be all right?" she wondered.

"I don't know, Rini," Amy answered quietly.&nbsp "All we can do for
her now is wait and pray."

* * * * *

Sailor Earth was surprised at the ease she'd gotten away from Venus
and Serena.&nbsp Under the pretense of having to do her 'Necessary',
she had walked off for some time alone.&nbsp Earth sat at a dried
up pond and brooded.&nbsp "I needed
that piece to get me home.&nbsp Oh, what am I talking about!?&nbsp
I can't go home!&nbsp My own friend died getting me here."

Celeste was ready for her.&nbsp She threw the mohawked woman
off and called, "EARTH!&nbsp KAO ATTACK!"&nbsp A dark brown aura
covered her body as she ran up and kicked Sailor Moon in the stomach.&nbsp
That kick sent Moon flying into a nearby stone wall.&nbsp Celeste
ran at her again, hoping to finish the job.

But Sailor Moon was ready.&nbsp She gathered a ball of pure Negaverse
energy, and when Celeste got close to her, she threw with
deadly accuracy.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!" screamed Sailor Earth
as she was thrown through the air.&nbsp Sailor Earth slumped down the
wall and fell into a heap on the ground.

Smiling, the mohawked girl went over and touched the girl.&nbsp "A
weak pulse.&nbsp She's dying soon anyway!"&nbsp With a snap
of her fingers, Sailor Moon and the unconscious Sailor
Earth was gone.

* * * * *

Lili lay on her bed, staring through the gaping hole
in her roof.&nbsp "GD mist creatures!&nbsp Always rippin' up MY house!"

She turned to look at the wall.&nbsp A broken mirror hung
lopsidedly, a network of cracks spiderwebbing across its surface.

As Lili began to doze, she thought she saw a faint yellow glow in
the mirror.&nbsp She opened her eyes wide-- she did see the
a faint glow.&nbsp And behind that, a misty creature...